Family in desperate search for Polish teen stem cell donor

A Scots family say they are “at a loss” as they search for a stem cell donor in Poland who saved their mum’s life.

Lisa Semple, 58, from Gourock, was treated for a type of blood cancer with a transplant from a teenager who was the right match in the European country.

The man, believed to be 19 years old, donated the stem cells on October 13, 2025, at the university hospital in Gdansk.

Two days later, the donation saved the mum-of-four’s life.

Now, her family say the best chance of recovery is for her to get a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), which is when collected T cells (type of white blood cell) and delivered into the patient’s bloodstream.

Lisa needs his donation to give her hope, but the donor registry in Poland has been unable to find him.

They are urging the man to contact DKMS, an international charity and the UK’s largest stem cell register, which also operates in Poland, Germany, Chile, India and South Africa.

During the first two years after a blood stem cell donation, the donor and patient are generally only able to correspond anonymously.

However, direct contact can be made in Poland through DKMS.

Lisa’s daughter, Lucy, told STV News: “What’s very unusual is for the original donor to disappear and leave us completely at a loss. I’m feeling incredibly sad, worried and overwhelmed right now.

“Knowing that there is a donor out there who could give my mum a chance, but not being able to find them, is heartbreaking.”

She added: “However, we know that it’s essential that the donor maintains his confidentiality – we have no desire to find out who he is.

“We just want to know that he knows that he’s needed, and if he says no, then that’s absolutely his choice.”

The family say they have contacted the British Embassy in Poland.

They thanked the Anthony Nolan Trust, a charity which saves and improves the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders, and DKMS for their support.

DKMS UK and Poland said in a joint statement: “Everyone at DKMS is deeply saddened by the difficult situation Lisa and her family are facing. Our thoughts are with them during what is undoubtedly an extremely challenging time.

“We understand that they are seeking answers and hoping to reconnect with the donor who made Lisa’s initial transplant possible.

“Supporting patients is at the heart of DKMS’s mission, and we hope that every patient who needs a stem cell transplant from a matching donor is able to have one.”

They added: “We sympathise with Lisa’s family’s efforts to reach out to the donor. We know they understand that anonymity is a fundamental principle of stem cell transplantation worldwide. Individuals join the donor registry with the understanding that their identity will be protected, which provides important protections for both donors and patients. It is important that potential donors receive requests through official, anonymous channels.”

The charity said it cannot comment on individual cases, but it always makes “every reasonable effort to contact matching donors to share requests for further donations”.

It is understood that the Foreign Office is aware of the case and has urged the family to get in touch through normal consular channels.

The British Ambassador in Poland, Dame Melinda Simmons, said the embassy stands “ready to help”.